Pyramid Structure
by Glalie773
Summary: Severus is determined to be at the top of the pyramid. He is determined to beat Minerva once and for all - he WILL know the juiciest gossip of the school, and all the other professors WILL admire him because of it. Only nobody believes him when he sees Draco Malfoy flush at the very sight of Hermione Granger's smile.


I don't even know.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

"I have interesting news indeed."

Severus snorted to himself as he rummaged through the staffroom's bookshelf, rolling his eyes as the other teachers murmured in interest.

"_Really_, three times?"

"I can see that the professors at Hogwarts are even more nosy and gossipy than the students," Severus said coldly, as Pomona Sprout clutched a hand to her chest and Minerva McGonagall clucked her tongue sympathetically. As if on cue, the ten or so teachers lounging around swung their heads around, regarding Severus with some displeasure.

Severus sniffed as the teachers stared at him silently through narrowed eyes. "What would I possibly want to do with the information that Miss Patil attempted to… ahem… _enhance_ her chest and is now residing in the hospital wing?"

Minerva smiled thinly, patting the seat next to her. "Sit, Severus."

Severus glared at them coldly.

"You're new to this," Poppy Pomfrey said, wagging a finger. "Of course you're not interested in the meager details yet. We have to start him off with something big," she said, looking round at all the other professors. A few nodded thoughtfully, and Severus felt a sneer grace his face.

"For example," Minerva said brusquely, "Last week, Ginny Weasley cheated on Harry Potter."

The professors gasped.

Severus rolled his eyes once again, though deep, deep inside of him, sparked something…. Interest. Secretly, quietly, maddeningly, he hoped that someone prompted Minerva to give more details.

_The _power couple of Hogwarts, and little Miss Weasley cheated –

"…With Blaise Zabini."

Severus froze in his tracks, turning on his heel to face the professors. Many of them, he noted scathingly, were smugly watching his expression. But no matter, Severus didn't even pay any mind to them – there were much more important things to discuss.

"_Zabini_?" Severus snapped, crossing his arms. "With a girl his entire blood line considers a blood traitor? A _Weasley_? Impossible."

"Which is why it's a secret," Minerva said primly, brushing off her robes.

"And how do you know this?" Severus asked suspiciously, painfully aware of how engrossed he now was with the conversation.

"I saw them myself," Minerva stated, and Pomona shook her head in awe. Minerva sat back in her chair, all the other professors looking at her with undisguised admiration.

"The one rule of this," Filius Flitwick warned Severus, "is to never, _ever_ lie or exaggerate."

Severus harrumphed.

Minerva sighed. "It's hard, you know," she said complacently, gazing off through the window, "knowing _everything_."

Severus glared at her deeply before exiting the staffroom, brow furrowed and lips taut.

Minerva, it seemed, was the head of the news. She was the one everyone looked to for information, and she was the one who _knew it all_. Everyone looked up to her.

But that would soon change.

* * *

Severus, as much as he tried, couldn't dig up anything good. Everything he found out had already been unearthed by Min_erva_, and the other professors merely scoffed at his feeble gossip, turning their misty eyes toward that skinny vulture of a witch.

He needed something good. He needed something great, something that would blow him right to the top of the food chain.

"Colin Creevey owes ninety-seven galleons to Gringotts," Severus said triumphantly, one bleary Friday morning. The staffroom looked at him uninterested. "He took out a loan to pay for his school supplies, and has yet to repay it," Severus argued. Minerva let out a very noticeable, exaggerated yawn. Someone sniggered from the corner.

Severus sneered at them all. How dare they not appreciate his news? Ninety-seven galleons! That was quite a lot for a sixteen-year-old to be in debt for.

"Weasley has arachnophobia," Severus said desperately, as the teachers started to turn away. Minerva waved a hand.

"We knew that when Mr. Weasley was twelve, Severus."

Fuming, Severus walked out, just in time for Minerva to report that Muggle police caught Seamus Finnegan over break doing some sort of illegal drug.

Amid the oohs and ahhs, Severus kicked a wall.

* * *

"Do something!" Weasley and Potter shouted at Severus, who seethed at them all. Pansy Parkinson, from her station in the far corner, was howling with laughter at the sight of Granger waving her hands frantically. She tapped her wand against the corner of her desk, looking smugly at the scene.

"Miss Granger could use a little more silence," Severus hissed, walking back to his chair, "I will not undo that curse until the bell. Besides, it is pathetic that none of you arguing can even perform the countercurse."

Both Weasley and Potter turned their wands to Granger, who waved her hands even more wildly and ducked behind a pillar. The Slytherins roared with laughter.

"Dock points from Slytherin, then!" Dean Thomas snapped. "It was obviously Parkinson who cast the spell!"

Parkinson shrugged. "I just _couldn't_ handle that shrill screech anymore," she said lazily.

Ignoring the indignant shouts along with the raucous laughter, Severus sat down hard in his chair, before catching sight of a pair of furious blue eyes.

Draco Malfoy, the only Slytherin not laughing or even smiling, was glowering at Parkinson, who didn't seem to notice. Severus watched attentively as Draco's eyes switched over to Granger, who was now sporting unshed tears.

Slowly, Draco's wand from his side raised a fraction, and at the other side of the room, Hermione Granger suddenly gasped for air, coughing and rubbing at her throat.

The laughter ceased instantly.

"Who did that?" Parkinson yelled. "I _created_ that, who the _hell_ knows that countercurse?"

Draco's wand slipped back into his pocket, something only Severus noticed.

Severus watched Draco watch Hermione, who was glaring down at her cauldron, ignoring the whole Slytherin side of the room.

_So very interesting._

* * *

"Draco Malfoy fancies Hermione Granger," Severus announced.

Complete, utter silence.

Okay, it was _somewhat _of an exaggeration. Maybe slightly. But Severus saw in those pale eyes what he felt years and years ago – there was no denying it, even if Severus didn't have hard proof.

Minerva scoffed, looking round at Pomona and Poppy. "Malfoy? Granger? Don't make things up, Severus."

The other professors nodded profusely, also turning their noses up.

"I'm not!"

"Where's your proof?" Filius said, almost boredly. Severus swelled.

"I will _get _some," he snarled, "and just you wait – soon you'll all be groveling to me instead!"

"Good luck," Minerva called after him, and Severus could just hear the smirk on her face.

"That reminds me, did you hear that Potter and Ginny Weasley broke up? Zabini _does_ look happier these days…."

* * *

If it was difficult to get trivial gossip, then Severus supposed it would be even harder to get proof of Draco's crush on Hermione.

He was wrong. He was _so _wrong, and he watched in half horror, half delight as Draco flushed a deep red as he spoke to Hermione at the student cupboards. She was smiling up at him, handing him the vial that he had been looking for, and Draco's eyes lit up as she grinned.

There was such a longing on his face that Severus wanted to snap a photograph to wave in front of Minerva's face, but in an instant Draco's expression was replaced with the cool, marble-like countenance of a Malfoy.

Severus didn't miss the quick look to the Gryffindor table as Draco sped back to his side of the room.

"Excellent," Severus hissed through his teeth, and Longbottom looked at him, mouth dropping open.

"Not _you_, Longbottom, you're god-awful as usual… no… this is excellent. Most excellent."

Severus didn't even notice that half the class was staring at him, utterly nonplussed.

* * *

"And then he turned to look at Granger once more before going back to his seat," Severus said, sitting in Minerva's usual seat. She stood off to the side, looking furious.

"How red was he again?" Poppy said in a hushed voice, as if Draco was outside, pressing his ear against the staffroom door.

"Practically maroon," Severus said knowingly, and Filius beamed.

"I knew that they would get together!"

"Please," Minerva cut in, forcing eyes on her. "Malfoy turning pink in class is absolutely nothing to start a fuss over. Maybe it was hot. It _is_ Potions, after all."

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. How dare she try to take the throne back?

"I'll have you know," Minerva said, with the air of importance, "that Miss Granger has been corresponding with a certain Viktor Krum all year… and he is planning on visiting this weekend. I assure you, there is _nothing_ going on between Granger and Malfoy."

Panicked, Severus tried to reel back the professors. "There is most definitely something going on between them. I'll prove it. Saturday night."

The professors looked at him with curiosity, and from above their heads, he saw Minerva huff in annoyance.

The truth would come out Saturday night, whether Draco Malfoy wanted it or not.

* * *

Severus took measures into his own hands. With fumbling fingers, he scripted out a short message to send to Draco.

_Malfoy,_

_Meet me at 8pm in front of the Great Hall Saturday night. I have something to tell you._

_-Granger_

Severus signed Hermione's name with relish, before sealing the envelope and sending it off to the Slytherin common room via school owl.

Severus couldn't wait for Saturday night.

* * *

Severus, alongside the other school professors with Minerva in back looking sour, stumbled upon Draco sitting on the steps outside the Great Hall at approximately 7:54 pm; he looked miserable.

Severus waved to the professors to stand nearby, but still somewhat out of sight. Minerva made quite the noise indeed as she stomped into place. Severus hushed her with a great satisfaction.

Oh, the top of the pyramid awaited him.

"Draco?"

Granger's soft voice came from the stairwell. She looked down at Draco, who raised his head and stared at her.

"What did you want to tell me?" he said, and even from a distance Severus could see his eyes darkening to a familiar slate gray.

Suddenly, Severus was nervous.

"What?" Granger said.

Oh, dear.

"Herm-ion-knee!" a thick, accented voice sounded from the front doors. In a flash, Draco stood up, staring in disbelief at Viktor Krum, who just emerged from the outdoors.

"_Is this what you wanted to say?_" Draco hissed. "You're leaving me for Krum?"

Oh, _dear_ – wait, what?

Nearly everyone in the group of teachers gasped, Severus and Minerva included.

"No!" Granger said, obviously distressed. "What are you talking about? And keep your voice down," she snapped, and Draco glared at the pair of them.

"Since when do you still call me 'Malfoy'?" Draco spat. "When you plan on telling me you're breaking up with me? For this loser?"

Severus suddenly realized his mistake.

"I'm _not_ – I don't know what you're talking about – Viktor and I are just catching up –"

"I love you."

Time seemed to freeze. Severus was vaguely aware of Poppy elbowing him deeply in the ribs.

"I love you, Hermione, so please, _please_ tell me why you sent this," Draco said desperately, holding out Severus' letter. "You said – you said you'd never call me Malfoy again, unless you really hated me again," Draco finished quietly. "Why are you with him?" Draco looked at Viktor, who looked very surprised.

"Viktor plans to propose," Hermione said, equally as quietly. She took the envelope from Draco's hands. "He came over here because I went to primary school with his girlfriend. He wanted to catch up. And I never sent this letter."

Draco stared down at the letter in Hermione's hands.

"_YOU TAMPERED WITH THE EVIDENCE!"_

Severus cleared his throat, ducking behind the wall so Draco, Hermione and Viktor wouldn't see them. "Perhaps," he murmured, and Minerva's finger practically poked him in the eye.

"_ILLEGAL_!" she shrieked.

A soft voice wafted from the front of the Great Hall, and that voice said something that made Severus almost not care about the competition.

"I love you," Hermione Granger said firmly, and this time, Severus didn't have to witness it to know that Draco's pale eyes were fixed on Granger, cheeks pink and a smile on his face.

* * *

"Zabini and Miss Weasley are now together," Severus said, shooting into the staffroom at high speed. Minerva flipped a page in her book.

"That was news maybe a week ago, Severus," Pomona said meaningfully, handing a bowl of fruit to Minerva, who took it with a murmured, "thanks".

Severus glared at them all, then spun around and marched out of the room, nearly bumping into a snogging Malfoy and Granger. The bell rang and the corridor was suddenly filled with screaming bodies, and Severus found himself squashed up against the wall.

Across the hall, Severus saw Ginny Weasley take a folded up note from Kale Smith.

Little did he know, it was merely History of Magic notes.

But Severus persevered, pushing through the bodies, plans forming in his mind by the second to get that little note.

_I will be the top of the pyramid!_

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed it! I've always wanted to know what the teachers talked about - in my head, they gossip!_


End file.
